Work in Spanish: Here are a list of words you would use when you work in Costa Rica or any Spanish speaking country. 

aguinaldo — December bonus in Costa Rica that employers are required to pay their employees

almuerzo — lunch

anuncios — advertisements

brete — Slang for “work.” “Estoy breteando en esto, pero es mucho brete” — “I’m working on this, but it’s a lot of work.”

chamba/chambilla — quick little job, pretty easy and not worth much money

clientes — customers

comisiones — commissions

contrato — contract

contratista — contractor

descanso — break

despedido — fired

empleado — employee. The verb “emplear” means “to hire,” so you could say, “Fui empleado el año pasado,” which could mean either “I was hired last year” or “I had a job last year.”

horario — schedule

liquidación — money a company is required to pay an employee who is laid off or fired

pautar — to advertise. “Vieras que ahora estamos pautando solamente en línea” — “To tell the truth, now we’re advertising only online.”

planilla — payroll, staff. “Si no podemos cortar gastos, los jefes cortarán la planilla” — “If we can’t cut costs, the bosses will cut the staff.”

prestamista — lender

salario — salary

subcontratista — subcontractor

Spanish word for work: Trabajo 

ventas — sales

yugo — “yoke,” meaning job